Ice-resistant Arctic platform to become new research vessel

The North Pole ice-resistant platform will become a full-fledged research vessel to study the Arctic Ocean, Dmitry Kirillov, director of the Department of Water Resources and Hydrometeorology State Policy and Regulations at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

As reported earlier, the Russian government decided to allocate almost 7 billion rubles to build a North Pole ice-resistant self-propelled platform by 2020. The platform will be constructed by Admiralty Shipyards.

"This is not simply a drifting house in the ice but a research vessel with scientific equipment that does not need to be transferred from the mainland: it will always be on the platform. The vessel's capabilities will allow its crew to conduct all the necessary research about the ice and water conditions, quality and movement as well as about the sea, ice formation and many other things," Kirillov said.

According to Kirillov, the main construction task is to create a cutting-edge facility for carrying out Arctic expeditions. When the platform is constructed, members of Polar expeditions will have comfortable working conditions and will be able to advance their research.

"This ice-resistant platform is needed to monitor how the active economic development of the Northern Sea Route could affect the Arctic ecosystem," Kirillov concluded.